


monster (under my bed)

by scribbleb_red



Series: monster (under my bed) [1]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Pre-Slash, demon!neil, monster (under the bed) universe, monster!neil, morning AU, neil is a badass, protective! neil josten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:41:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribbleb_red/pseuds/scribbleb_red
Summary: "If you sleep with your hand dangling at the side of your bed, the monster under it will hold it while you sleep."Based on the original Morning AU, in which Andrew Minyard has a monster living under his bed, and the monster's name is Neil.
Relationships: Neil Josten & Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: monster (under my bed) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600192
Comments: 32
Kudos: 471





	monster (under my bed)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first part of the Monster (Under The Bed) series - with background on how it began and such. I hope you enjoy!

**I**

There was a monster under Andrew’s bed, but it didn’t scare him.

He was seven years old and had far more terrifying things to worry about – like whether those footsteps coming up the stairs were coming this way, like who might come into his room tonight and what might happen in his bed.

He pressed his back against the wall and watched the door, he didn’t want to fall asleep. He didn’t want to fall asleep.

**II**

There was a human child sleeping in the bed Neil had crawled beneath, and his nightmares were full and heavy. Neil lay beneath and eyed the bulge that gave away where the child had curled up tight – scared, but not of Neil.

He wondered about that. Wondered and wondered.

Neil was used to people fearing him – he was a prince of hell, son to a nightmare that had become so powerful it manifested as a monster.

Neil was a monster too.

_So why wasn’t this little boy with hair like unspun flax scared of him?_

Neil lay in the dark beneath the boy’s bed and siphoned away his nightmares, feeding and feeding.

_What was so horrible that this small human didn’t even flinch when there was a monster under his bed?_

**III**

Andrew was shaking when the floorboards creaked – he pulled his legs in tight and prayed the way he’d been taught at his last home: _please help me god, please don’t let him come in here, please don’t let him hurt me._

But his foster father did come – he pushed the door open and he pushed Andrew down and when it was over, told Andrew to clean his sheets.

There was a snarl from under the bed.

Andrew was too tired to be scared of the monster under the bed. Hurt in ways he didn’t know he could hurt. He sprawled on the dirty bed and tried to breathe.

When something cold and dark and spine-chilling touched his palm, he jerked back.

“Did I scare you?” A voice made of smoke spilled out from below Andrew’s bed.

“No,” Andrew replied. He just didn’t want to be touched.

**IV**

Neil didn’t like the adult human who came to Andrew’s room. He didn’t like the way that he made Andrew beg. He didn’t like the way he made Andrew cry.

He wished he were a bigger monster, that he was older and could help Andrew more.

“If I were older, I could make him go crazy. I could scare him until he pooed himself,” Neil said to Andrew one night, when they were undisturbed for a whole evening. “My father does that. He terrifies people into dying.”

Andrew didn’t reply straight away. “Are you scared of your father?”

Neil swallowed and nodded, realised Andrew couldn’t see. “Yes,” he said. “He’s why I’m hiding under your bed.”

**V**

The day Andrew’s foster father choked him for the first time, was the first time Neil emerged from beneath the bed.

The room filled with darkness. The lights shuddered. A bone deep cold seeped into the air and Andrew took his foster father’s surprise as an opportunity to shimmy away. There were red glowing eyes, white flashing teeth. There and then gone.

Seconds later and the only thing that was left was a snarl and the memory of a glistening maw and the tremble in their bones but the damage was done.

His foster father was shaking and swearing as he staggered away from Andrew, gaze wild with fear. “What the fuck are you?”

The question was aimed at Andrew and Andrew tried on his widest grin. He was missing his front teeth but he knew that smiles were dangerous things.

He was left alone that night.

Neil didn’t come back until the next evening. He sounded tired when he did.

Andrew doesn’t know if he should say thank you or not. “You really scared him,” he said instead.

“Good. Monsters are supposed to be scary. Not humans. Humans need to stop being mean to each other and let us monsters do our jobs,” Neil said. His voice was ashes and haunted places, different to usual.

“You sound weird,” said Andrew.

“I wanted to destroy him but I’m not big enough yet. I had to use a lot of energy.”

And then a noise came from under the bed and Andrew’s eyes widened. “Did you just yawn?”

“Tired,” said the monster under his bed.

“You could sleep.”

“G’na keep you safe.”

Andrew didn’t say anything in reply, but he dangled his hand off the edge of the bed. After a second there was a shift in the darkness, a new weight to the shadows. And a warm hand slid tentatively against his. It didn't try to grip or grab, it was just a brush of knuckles that Andrew returned with his own.

Andrew wanted to trust Neil. He thought perhaps one day, he could.

**VI**

Neil had to scare the adult who hurt Andrew twice more before they found out that the family was giving him back to social services. His foster mom said that she and her husband didn’t want Andrew anymore, that he was trouble, but Andrew told Neil it was because of him.

“He’s terrified of you, so they’re sending me away.” Neil is sure he's never heard Andrew sound so happy.

“Where are you going?”

“Dunno yet.”

“When will you go?”

“Soon, I guess.”

“Can I come with you?”

Andrew didn’t even pause before he said, “Yes.”

Something blossomed in Neil’s chest, warm and uncanny.

The feeling wasn’t familiar, wasn't natural like anger or aggression or the urge to bite and devour. It was softer than that.

He thought it might be _purpose_. He had wanted to keep Andrew safe from this human monster. Now he felt the need to keep Andrew safe from all the other monsters too.

When, fast asleep that night, Andrew's foot dropped over the edge of the bed, Neil very carefully tucked it back under the covers.

**VII**

When Andrew was moved, he was sad to leave his monster under the bed. He knew that Neil said he’d find him, but he was picked up without warning and weeks had passed with no sign of the little demon who’d promised to protect Andrew.

This home was a different kind of horror to Andrew. Starting from the third day, he already figured this place was more fists and less night time visits, but he wished that Neil had meant it. That he’d turn up and keep him safe like he promised.

 _Guess monsters don’t travel well_ , Andrew told himself and tried not to wish that someone would reach back in the dark and hold his hand.

He assumed that that was it. Neil was gone.

Until one day he tossed and turned until his pillow dropped on the floor. He stretched for it but he couldn’t reach. Huffing, he prepared to loosen himself from his cocoon, but as he began to lift himself up, his pillow was suddenly appeared back on his lap. There was a shift of shadow and a sigh.

"Here you go," Neil's voice said from the dark.

Andrew smiled. He reached out and fingers reached out to touch and greet. 

Andrew didn't leave it at that. Not this time. 

He curled his fingers around the monster’s, laced them tight. He could feelt the ridges of scars, thin bones beneath hot skin, the slight scratch of talons as Neil's fingers gripped back, his hold loose and gentle.

Andrew felt his heart quieten with a sense of home. 

**Author's Note:**

> The incredible Linda (AKA @pipedreamunderdesertskies on tumblr) has created some absolutely beautiful art inspired by the monster!Neil in this series. Check it out and the rest of her incredible work here: https://tmblr.co/Z1985Z2n8XVSR


End file.
